From the Past
by Telpei
Summary: Joey gets accidentally summons High Priest Seth back from the past. The Priest has to get back to his slave Jouno, but he can’t get back to his own time until the past has been repeated...
1. Chapter 1

Title: From the Past 1/? 

Author: Telpei 

Rating: PG-13 (for now...we'll see how the rest of this goes) 

Pairing(s): Various combinations of Seto, Joey, Jouno, and Seth 

Spoilers: Nope. This is an AU. 

Disclaimer: Not mine! 

Summary: Joey gets accidentally summons High Priest Seth back from the past. The Priest has to get back to his slave Jouno, but he can't get back to his own time until the past has been repeated...

[For a Dragon's Lair (Yahoo Group) Challenge

Inspired by Plot Bunny # 28: by Kari

The high priest Seth is somehow transported to present day Domino. Joey is the one who finds him. Joey and the others try to find a way to send him home. Both Joey and Seto (or at least one of them) will begin to question themselves due to Seth's presence, and the fact that Joey is the reincarnation of Seth's lover/slave.]

ooooooo

_The air around him was cool, and a slight breeze tousled his blonde bangs. He fingered something smooth and warm in his hand, and his amber eyes widened as a sudden mist swirled around him, enveloping him in its damp and foggy whiteness. He blinked, and when he opened his eyes again he was in a green clearing with a fountain and a small pond to his right. The sky above him was darkening, the sun shining over the treetops and bathing him in its warm evening glow. At the end of the path ahead of him, he could see a large white mansion, and he frowned in confusion. "Kaiba's place? I shouldn't be here..."_

_And then, all of a sudden, there was a flash of light and a rumble of thunder, and he was knocked to the ground when something large and heavy (although not completely uncomfortable) landed on top of him. _

_He blinked again as he looked up and found himself staring into azure blue eyes that were so familiar and yet so different at the same time. _

_"Jouno?" the owner of said eyes murmured, the strange voice flooding the blonde's senses..._

Before he jerked awake and sat up straight in bed. One glance at the clock was enough to have the strange dream forgotten as he swore and scrambled out of his blankets, already reaching for his school uniform.

And so it was that the day started out normal enough for Joey Wheeler (aside from the dream). He rushed through getting dressed, skipped breakfast, grabbed a piece of dental gum instead of brushing his teeth, couldn't find any money for his lunch, and hurried out the door (forgetting his math homework).

By the time he had sprinted half-way to school, Joey screeched to a halt on the sidewalk and cursed rather loudly. This earned him several un-amused looks from adults passing by, and he grinned sheepishly before continuing on his way at a slower pace.

"Kuso..." he muttered, kicking a stone out of his way as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I can't believe I forgot my math! I'd actually finished it for once..." With a sigh, he kicked the stone again and trudged along, scowling to himself and murmuring random curses under his breath. "Maybe I should just skip..." he mused, reaching down to pick up the stone he'd been kicking and tossing it up and down as he turned a corner. He could see the school in the distance, but everyone was inside already.

He sighed again (for what seemed like the millionth time that day...and it wasn't even lunch time yet) and pocketed the smooth rock, jogging the rest of the way to the school. He had a feeling this rotten string of bad luck was going to continue...

ooooooo

Lunch time eventually did roll around, but Joey's fortunes hadn't improved much. He was sitting in the cafeteria at his friends' usual table, stealing some of Yugi's fries (if you remember correctly, he'd been unable to find his own lunch money), and ignoring Tristan's taunts about the math teacher's lecture on 'responsibility' as his friend gobbled down his own meal.

The blonde rolled his eyes as his the brunette hit him a little too hard on the shoulder, and he punched his best friend back before Yugi cut in with a frown. With a sigh, Joey was about to argue that Tristan had been the one to start the fight in the first place, but before he got a chance to open his mouth, his amber eyes landed on another brunette a few empty tables across the room from them…that happened to be staring at him with cold blue eyes…those eyes…why did they look so familiar? In a sudden rush, the dream hit Joey in a tidal-wave-effect and he jumped to his feet and pointed across the cafeteria at one Seto Kaiba, declaring rather loudly "You!? What the hell were you doing in my dream?!"

This, of course, caused The Supreme Silence in the cafeteria, and only then did Joey realize what he had just yelled. His index finger was still pointing directly at Kaiba, but the only response the brunette had mustered was a quirked eyebrow. The young executive picked up his laptop and got to his feet, somehow maintaining eye contact with the blonde the entire time. "Dreaming about me, Wheeler? Just can't keep your mind off of your master, can you? Next you'll be asking me to get you to roll over."

Kaiba's cool comment disturbed The Supreme Silence, and Joey's pointed finger dropped to his side as the entire school population erupted into laughter, led by Tristan (whom Joey had thought to be his best friend). The blonde shot a glare at the brunette and stepped away from his chair. "This ain't finished, Kaiba," he shouted over the continuing (and increasingly annoying) laughter. The CEO didn't spare him a second glance, however, as he gathered the rest of his things and exited the cafeteria with a smug look on his face.

Joey was left smoldering with anger as the laughter sounded around him, and in that moment, he swore to get revenge. Yes, revenge would be his. Now all he needed was a plan...

ooooooo

Joey scowled as he fingered the smooth stone in his pocket from that morning. He'd spent the rest of his afternoon avoiding a certain billionaire and threatening to kick Tristan's ass for the teasing. His so called 'best friend' hadn't let up with jokes concerning erotic dreams and dog trainers.

The blonde shook his head slightly as he attempted to clear his angry thoughts. "This is all Kaiba's fault," he muttered as he pulled the stone out of his pocket and tossed it up and down. The rock was smooth, and since it had been in his pocket it was delightfully warm. "I'm gonna get him back real good...somehow," he promised with conviction in his voice as his eyes narrowed into a glare. "All I need is something to use against him...like blackmail or something..."

Joey's evil, plotting thoughts were interrupted, however, as the stone suddenly heated to extreme temperatures and bright blue eyes flashed in his memory. He dropped the rock with a yelp and surveyed the damage before he turned his curious amber eyes on the stone. "What the..." he muttered as he stooped to touch it experimentally, surprised to find that it was now quite cool. He picked it up and stood there for a moment looking at it for a moment of thought before he continued on his way. Those eyes had been the same ones in his dream. Kaiba's eyes.

"This is just too weird," he murmured under his breath as he continued his way home down the sidewalk. "What the hell is wrong with this damn rock anyway?"

And at that exact moment, Joey decided that things were getting out of hand. Especially when a strange mist enveloped him and he was suddenly no longer walking on cement. Instead, he was surrounded by plants, and in the distance he could just make out the roof of the Kaiba mansion over the tops of the trees. "No fucking way..." the blonde whispered to himself, taking a step backwards warily. "This is just...crazy...I must have finally lost it..." He pinched himself, but it was no use. He cursed and swore, but it did not make the situation any better.

It was later in the day than it should have been. School let out at four...and it usually took Joey half an hour or so to walk home, but the sun was already sinking in the sky. "Where the hell did the day go?!?" he wondered worriedly, his voice pitched a little higher than he would have liked. His thoughts had inevitably turned back to his dream, and he glanced up, wondering when Kaiba (well, some stranger with eyes that looked exactly like Kaiba's) was going to land on him.

The stone was still in his fingers, and after staring up through the leaves of the trees at the darkening sky, he decided it was safe to look down for a moment to eye the rock. For the first time since he'd picked it up, he took a really good look at it.

It was a gray stone, with a white stripe through the center. Joey frowned as he brought the rock closer to his eyes, and even in the dim light he could make out the scratchings in the white strip. "Holy shit," he muttered, turning it over to get a look at the other side. "I found a magic rock and now my dream is replaying itself. Why couldn't I have had a better dream? Like one where I got home on time so my dad wouldn't chew me out? He's gonna freak when I do get back..."

And then it happened. There was a flash of light and a rumble of thunder...and Joey found himself on his ass, staring up into surprised blue eyes.

"Jouno?"

Oh.

Shit.

ooo TBC ooo

AN: Can anyone find the line that I stole from PotC? (I don't own that either).

To Kari: I'm so glad I got your bunny...this is going to be such a fun fic to write. I so love this pairing. Seth shall be very evil and plotting, muahahahahaha!

Thanks to: Samurai Butterfly, for all her help! hugs


	2. Chapter 2

Title: From the Past 2/? Author: Telpei Rating: For this chapter, PG-13ish, to be safe. I don't know how the rest is going to turn out. Pairing(s): Various combinations of Seto, Joey, Jouno, and Seth Spoilers: Nope. This is an AU. Disclaimer: Not mine! 

Summary: Joey gets accidentally summons High Priest Seth back from the past. The Priest has to get back to his slave Jouno, but he can't get back to his own time until the past has been repeated...

ooooooo

_A strange chariot painted all in black came to a screeching halt in front of him, and if he had been any other man, he would have been afraid. However, being who he was, he merely watched calmly as the driver emerged, and he found himself staring into haunting eyes that were so much like his own. "Who are you?" he questioned, holding his staff forward and challenging the other. "Where are you from? Are you a friend of Egypt, or an enemy?" _

_He frowned as his almost-mirror-image only smirked in response, and he took a threatening step forward. "Answer me, servant of the Pharaoh! Who are you?!"_

_"Teach me," the chariot driver murmured. "Teach me..." _

_"Answer me!!" he demanded, but it was no use. Those haunting words echoed in his ears, even as the image faded from his mind. _

ooooooooo

Shit indeed.

Joey twitched as a dark hand cupped his cheek, unable to think properly since he was still lost in those captivating blue eyes.

"Jouno..." the owner of said eyes murmured again, and Joey swallowed nervously, scrambling to collect his thoughts.

"Kaiba, you've got some serious problems. What the hell are ya doin'!? Get yer slimy fingers offa me!"

Only after he had said this did Joey realize that he was not talking to Seto Kaiba. No, this was definitely not Seto Kaiba. For one, Seto Kaiba did not wear a skirt. For another, Seto Kaiba did not spend time in the sun and could therefore not possibly have such a dark tan. But most importantly - Seto Kaiba most definitely did not know Egyptian.

The blonde scrambled out from beneath a very confused High Priest as the brunette glanced around for the first time and realized that he was no longer in Egypt. Joey winced as he listened to the rough dialect that the other was murmuring, recognizing it as Yami's ancient tongue.

Joey swore again as an alarm went off from the mansion up the path, and he scrambled to his feet. He motioned for the Kaiba-Look-A-Like to quiet down, and surprisingly enough the brunette did so. Thinking quickly, the blonde planned a way out of the yard even as guard dogs started barking angrily in the distance and search lights roamed over the lawn and through the trees. Without thinking, he grabbed the brunette's arm and high tailed it for the main road.

To his extreme surprise, they managed to make it to safety (without being arrested or mauled) and after some thought Joey decided that it would be best to question the Kaiba-Look-A-Like.

"Alright...so who are ya, exactly?!" he demanded, pulling them both to a stop once they had walked in silence for a while and were far away from Kaiba's sirens and property line.

The Kaiba-Look-A-Like quirked an eyebrow and raised himself to his full height. "Jouno, explain yourself immediately! You disappear, and now I find you in this...alternate realm. What is going on, my beloved?"

Joey shook his head. "Whoa...hold on there, Mr. high and mighty. What're you talkin' about? I'm not this...Jouno...and I'm definitely not yer 'beloved'."

The Kaiba-Look-A-Like frowned and leaned in, peering closely into Joey's face as the blonde scowled back. "Hm...it appears you are right. Though you do resemble my Jouno, you are not quite him. Who are you, then, and where is this place?"

"Well, fer starters my name's Joey Wheeler," the blonde replied, pausing to narrow his eyes at the brunette before demanding, "Now, who the hell are you?"

"I am High Priest Seth, cousin of the Pharaoh and second strongest wielder of the shadow powers in all of Egypt," the foreigner replied. "You, Joey, resemble my slave. I wonder if this isn't the time and place that the Gods have predicted."

Joey sighed. Great, just great. Another Egyptian spirit from the past. One that seemed to be just as stuck up as Kaiba himself. "You don't want to conquer this world, do you?" he wondered apprehensively, eyeing the spirit carefully.

Seth raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, peasant?"

"Well, ya didn't come here to try to rule the whole planet?" the blonde questioned (ignoring the 'peasant' comment), glaring at the priest. "I dun wanna have ta get Yami ta send ya back to the shadow realm or something crazy like that."

"I do not know why I am here," the brunette replied heatedly. "And no one can send me to the shadow realm! I have stronger powers than a commoner like you could even imagine."

The blonde let out a sigh of relief. "Well, so long as yer not tryin' ta brainwash me, it's all good. Let's head to Yugi's...maybe Yami will know why yer here."

Seth sighed as the Joey-character headed down the street, and decided that he didn't have much of a choice but to follow him. The priest had a feeling that this was the reincarnation of his lover (hot headed as he was)...and he knew that if this boy had brought him to the future from the past, he would also get back to his own time through the blonde.

However, they didn't get very far before a sleek black car pulled to a stop in front of Joey. The blonde gulped nervously and took a step backwards, accidentally bumping into Seth, who automatically responded by placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder to steady him.

"This isn't good," Joey murmured softly, conscious of the hand on his shoulder but reluctant to move away. Something about the touch seemed almost familiar. "I recognize that car. It belongs to-"

"Wheeler," Kaiba's unmistakable voice called out as the driver's side door opened and the taller teen stepped out. "My security cameras caught you trespassing on my property. Thought you would come visit your master, mutt?"

Joey bristled and stepped away from Seth, moving forward to confront the CEO. "Shut the hell up, you prick. I just got lost, is all. Now get outta here and leave me alone. I think you've messed with me enough today. Not to mention yer twin over here."

Seto frowned as he caught sight of Joey's companion, and he raised an eyebrow. "Who's this?"

"It's a long story," Joey replied hotly, but a plan was already forming in his mind. Perhaps this situation could be used towards his advantage. He did need to wreak his revenge on Kaiba anyhow...

The priest watched the other two, eyeing the newcomer carefully. This was most certainly the chariot that his gift of sight had predicted. He cleared his throat meaningfully and stepped forward, instantly catching the attention of both Joey and Seto. "Listen, peasants. I've had enough of your disrespectful quarrelling. Now, take me in your chariot to the current Pharaoh, who might be able to explain this mess and get me back to my own time."

Joey grinned suddenly, and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Kaiba, you can take yer twin to Yami 'cause I'm done with this mess. I deal with you daily, so I definitely don't need no second Kaiba hounding me with dog comments. So, gentlemen, I'll be leaving now."

The blonde turned to leave as he had planned, but Seth's hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. "You have to come. I have a feeling I need you to get back to my time."

Kaiba frowned. "And if you think for one second, Wheeler, that you or your little 'friend' can order me around you are sadly mistaken. You were both caught trespassing on my property. There's a five hundred dollar fine. Each."

Joey sighed. "Look, Kaiba, you know I haven't got yer five hundred bucks. So if you won't take ...well, him," he paused to gesture at Seth, "to get this problem fixed, then I'll do it. But if ya think about it, if news got out that there was another Kaiba...a technology challenged Kaiba like him, then don't ya think yer ratings or whatever might drop a little bit?"

Seto scowled, realizing that for once the mutt was right. If his customers and supporters thought that the mutt's friend was actually Seto Kaiba, he could lose a lot of sales and a lot of money. Not to mention that the media would just have a blast and his reputation would be ruined. "Fine, mutt, you've made your point. Get in the car, both of you. But we're not going to the game shop. I can fix this problem by myself. I don't need Yugi's help." Besides, although he wouldn't admit it to Wheeler, he was kind of curious as to why his former self had been brought to this time.

Jou rolled his eyes as he motioned for Seth to join them in the black vehicle, and he and the spirit settled into the back seat. Apparently Kaiba was going to be his egotistical self again. This was going to get interesting.

ooooooooo

Seto sighed as he paced back and forth in his den, attempting in vain to ignore a certain dog's annoying and endless chatter while trying to concoct a blueprint for some sort of time machine. Needless to say, things weren't going that well. But Seto Kaiba was not one to crack under pressure.

No, not at all.

"That's it, mutt, shut the hell up!!" the executive growled, spinning around to face a (finally) silent Joey. Said blonde gulped nervously and ducked behind an un-amused high priest.

Seth rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "I can see that you two are never going to get anything finished by yourselves. You're both too dimwitted to see past your own noses. I want to be taken to the Pharaoh."

"Now wait a sec," Joey intervened, suddenly not as timid. "I know I ain't the smartest in a crowd, but Kaiba here gets offended when you insult his intelligence. He's got a big head, and an ego to match," he teased, a smirk on his lips as he cut a sideward glance at the taller teen.

Seto growled, taking a step towards the blonde. "You need to be taught your place, mutt. Keep your big mouth shut or I'll-"

The executive was cut off, however, as Seth's indignant snort cut through his rant. "I see now, why I have been summoned here. I do not know why I did not see it before."

Seto frowned as Joey raised an eyebrow. "What the hell do you mean?" the blonde asked, beating Kaiba to the question.

"I have to teach you," Seth glanced at Kaiba, and with a slender, tanned finger he pointed at Joey, "how to control your slave."

It took Joey a moment to figure out just what Seth was implying. But once he did figure it out, all Seth knew was the fist connecting with his jaw.

oooooo

Seto sighed as he leaned forward from where he was sitting in the black leather chair, staring evenly at his counterpart with a raised eyebrow. "So, now we understand that the mutt does not belong to me, and that this time is not like your own?"

Seth made a show of nearly pouting as he held the ice to his slightly swollen cheek, and Joey growled from where he was standing against the wall on the other side of the room. "You've made your point quite well," the high priest consented, scowling as he set the ice down. "However, the fact still remains that we don't know why I am here, or how I am supposed to get back to my own time."

"And how the hell do you suggest, oh high and mighty priest, that we come up wit' an answer?" the blonde demanded, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring defiantly at the Egyptian. Obviously he was still a little pissed about the whole 'slave' ordeal.

"Well," Kaiba cut in with a soft sigh, cutting his own glare at Joey out of the corner of his eye. "Perhaps if we can find anything that happened out of the ordinary, we can figure this mess out. You two must have done something to open a portal of some sort between our two worlds."

Joey snorted as he glanced at Seto. "Whoa, Kaiba, you mean to say that you believe in portals? I thought you were against magic and shit."

"You are not helping, mutt," the brunette replied easily, before he turned to Seth. "Where were you, or what were you doing in Egypt before you were brought here? Was anything out of place? Did anything happen out of the ordinary?"

Seth sighed and shook his head. "I had just finished meditating in the temple of Set, and I was on my way to report to Pharaoh when I was wrenched out of my time and landed on him," he explained with a dark glare in Joey's direction.

The blonde scowled and flipped a choice finger at the priest (who obviously did not catch the meaning of said finger), "Hey, I didn't ask to get landed on, you know. I just figured my dream was repeating itself. Besides, it's all that damn magic rock's fault. And then you were going on about someone who I looked like that had gone missing."

"Ah, and you failed to mention all of this before hand for what reason?" Kaiba deadpanned with a roll of his eyes. "What's this about someone who'd gone missing?"

Seth nodded slowly, steepling his fingers as he rested his elbows on his knees. "Yes. My slave, Jouno, who looks very much like your Joey."

The aforementioned blonde narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat meaningfully.

"Very much like...Joey..." the priest corrected after a slight hesitation.

Joey smirked triumphantly, before he frowned in concentration. "So...do you think that your...Jouno...and his being lost and all...think that has anything to do with why you're here? I mean, in movies and stuff that's always the way it goes."

"Don't be stupid, mutt. Real life isn't a movie," Seto replied with another roll of his eyes.

The blonde pouted and moved forward to lean on the arm of Seto's chair, his arms still firmly crossed over his chest. "So what, then? How do we get him outta here?" he asked with a questioning nod at the priest.

Seto sighed as both Joey and Seth turned to look at him expectantly. "I don't have an answer right now," he muttered somewhat angrily. "It's getting too late for this, and I still have some work to clear up. You two can stay in guest rooms."

"No way, man, I've gotta get home or my dad's gonna flip," Joey argued, glancing down at the brunette. "I ain't stayin' here."

"Yes, you are," Seto replied evenly as he got to his feet and ran a hand through his bangs. "Because I don't want you to badger off to where I can't find you. If you'd like, mutt, I can call your father and tell him where you are."

"Isn't this illegal? Like, kidnapping or something?!" Joey demanded, standing up as well and dropping his arms to his sides. "I'm going home, Kaiba."

Seto stopped heading for the door and turned to face the blonde, his deep azure eyes boring into Joey's. "You're staying, mutt."

The blonde would have argued back if he hadn't been so lost in that all-consuming blue. With a short nod, he consented. "I'll call my dad myself. You got a phone?"

Seto nodded and headed back towards the door. "There's a private line in my office. Follow me. You," he paused to glare at Seth. "You come too. I probably have some more...suitable clothes you could be wearing."

Joey snickered softly, and Seth got to his feet with a dark glare at the two modern teens. He said nothing, however, knowing that his Egyptian robes would not be accepted in these modern times.

oooooooo

Seto sighed as he left Seth in his room and headed back for his own, (unfortunately) running into Joey on his way. He offered the blonde a short nod on his way past, but Wheeler's hand on his arm stopped him dead in his tracks and he narrowed his eyes, glaring down at his classmate. "What do you want now? Does the doggy want a treat?"

Joey maintained eye contact for a moment before he pushed Kaiba away with a scowl. "Goodnight," he murmured, his voice surprisingly soft, before he disappeared into the guest room that Seto had offered him.

The CEO blinked in surprise, stunned at the look he'd witnessed in the blonde's eyes. There was something there that hadn't been hostility, anger, frustration, or any of the other emotions he usually was able to detect in the mutt.

He shook off his surprise, however, dismissing it as a trick of his tired mind as he turned towards his own bedroom. He was too tired to think about this now...not to mention that he still had a report to type up before he could hope to get any sleep.

ooo TBC ooo

Line from PotC: "Joey's fortunes hadn't improved much" – when Jack Sparrow is in the cell at the beginning and the other pirates come down and say something like: "Last time we saw you, you were stranded on an island all alone" and the the other guy says "his fortunes haven't improved much" and I just loved the wording...but yeah, that's just me.

My beta reader is currently out of town. I read over this as best I could...but there might still be a few mistakes. Forgive me!

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!! I love you guys!!


	3. Chapter 3

Title: From the Past 3/?

Author: Telpei

Rating: PG-13

Pairing(s): Various combinations of Seto, Joey, Jouno, and Seth

Beta: Samurai Butterfly

Spoilers: Nope. This is an AU.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Summary: Joey gets accidentally summons High Priest Seth back from the past. The Priest has to get back to his slave Jouno, but he can't get back to his own time until the past has been repeated...

OoooooooO

_Amber eyes met gold-flecked brown, and each pair widened by a fraction before they narrowed suspiciously. _

_"Jouno," he accused. "I had a feelin' I was gonna meet ya sometime or other." _

_There was a nod from the other blond, and in the next instant they were closer. "I can tell you how to send my master back, but you must do something for me as well," the spirit murmured, reaching out a hand to brush his bangs back from his forehead. _

_"Well, I'm willing to get him outta my hair," he replied hotly, trying to step away from his other half but finding that his feet seemed rooted to the floor by some unseen force. _

_"I have something I must tell my master. You must deliver the message for me," the slave stated evenly, taking yet another step closer to him. _

_"Seems simple enough," he murmured, still suspicious and untrusting. "What's da catch?" _

_"Nothing that will harm you or my master's hikari, I promise you," Jouno soothed, trailing his fingers down his reincarnation's jaw bone, his tongue running over his bottom lip sensually. "You will agree to this." _

_A craving came over him, and suddenly he was responding to his yami's touch, their lips meeting for a brief moment, and his mind was flooded with the love this Egyptian had for another. He stumbled backwards, overwhelmed at the emotion his look-a-like felt for the priest. "I'll help you," he consented once he'd regained his balance and his mind, linking fingers with his other half. "What do I gotta do?" _

_"I will need to take control of your body to deliver my message to my master," the slave explained, his voice soft. "Will you allow me this privilege?" _

_"Then you'll tell me how ta get Seth back to yer time?" he questioned, his voice equally as soft as Jouno brought his hand up, brushing lips softly over his knuckles. _

_The slave nodded, sliding smooth fingers of another hand along his cheek, leaning in for another brief touch of lips against lips. "History must repeat itself before the opening between times can be found. The seeing stone is of utmost importance. You must learn to love, and my master must teach love. Only when love has been found can my master be returned to his own time," he whispered, lips brushing over his right ear and sending tingles down his spine. Again, the love for the priest could be felt through a link that he imagined was similar to what Yugi and Yami shared. _

_"I don't quite understand," he protested, taking a step back so that he could look into the eyes of his darker half. "Love? What's that got ta do wit anything?" _

_But it was too late. His yami was fading into the back of his mind, but he could still feel the comforting presence of his other self. "You know what it means," he heard, the words barely loud enough to be detected. "You do understand." _

_He sighed softly, finding himself now alone. With a nod, he placed his hand over his heart. "I feel it," he murmured to himself, with a shake of his head. "This is just asking to get my ass kicked. Kaiba ain't gonna like this too much." _

OoooooooO

"Come in," Kaiba responded to the knock on his office door automatically, his eyes never leaving the screen of his computer. He did glance up, however, when a certain black-haired munchkin launched himself into the older brother's lap, grinning as he claimed his morning hug.

"Good morning, Seto," he greeted, his grin widening as the brunette allowed him a small smile.

"Good morning, Mokuba," the CEO replied, gently setting his brother back on the floor. "Did you get some breakfast?"

"Not yet, big brother," the child answered. "Joey and I are going to make pancakes. Right Joey?"

Kaiba looked up quickly, slightly embarrassed that the mutt had caught him in the tender moment he'd been sharing with Mokuba. Joey didn't seem to have noticed, though. He was standing in the doorway and looked....distracted, despite his disheveled 'just rolled out of bed' appearance. He was wearing his school uniform from yesterday, but the wrinkled white shirt was unbuttoned and his jacket was hooked in a finger, nearly dragging on the floor. Seto found his eyes lingering on Joey's smooth, revealed stomach, and he quickly averted his gaze.

"Right, Joey?" Mokuba repeated, raising an eyebrow at the blonde's lack of response.

"You bet, kid," the blonde looked up, startled, but responded through a yawn from where he was standing in the doorway. "I just gotta visit the john first. I'll meet ya in the kitchen." He turned to head down the hall, but he paused slightly, glancing over his shoulder to meet Kaiba's judging eyes. "Mornin', Kaiba," he said softly before he disappeared from sight.

Seto grunted softly, before he dismissed the blonde and the odd behaviour from his mind and turned to his brother. He ruffled the silky black locks affectionately before he turned back to his computer. "I'll come down to the kitchen once I finish here. Wheeler and I have to get to school in an hour or so."

Mokuba nodded, his ever-present smile still brightening his features. "Ok, Seto," he replied. "But...why is Joey here? I thought you didn't like him."

"We have a situation to deal with," Kaiba replied a little bitterly, his eyes narrowing. "Unfortunately, we have to do it together."

"I am not a situation," a new voice growled from the doorway that Joey had vacated only moments before.

Both Kaiba brothers looked up, but Seto had no way of anticipating Mokuba's reaction.

"Holy shit!" the boy exclaimed, and Seto's eyes widened before they narrowed into a glare at his little brother.

"Mokuba," he stated calmly, his voice at a warning tone. "Watch your language."

The raven-haired thirteen year-old grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Seto," he murmured, before he turned wide eyes back to the stranger in the doorway. "But it's just that he...he looks like you!! Is he your yami?!"

Seto sighed, rolling his eyes at his brother's excitement. "In a way, yes," he admitted, sounding annoyed. "His name is Seth. Seth, this is my brother Mokuba. Now that you've been introduced, you can head down to the kitchen," he deadpanned, casting a pointed look at his brother. "Right, Mokuba?"

The younger Kaiba nodded, still staring openly at the Egyptian, but a nudge in his side from Seto urged him on his way. He shut his mouth and jumped into Seto's lap for another hug before he took off out of the office and into the hall.

Seto sighed as he motioned for Seth to enter the room as he shut down his laptop. It was looking like he wasn't going to get any work done this morning. "What is it?" he questioned as the priest sat down in a seat on the opposite side of his desk. It was as if he could somehow sense that the Egyptian had something of importance to tell him.

"Joey has the answer," the priest replied mysteriously. "We must clear this up as soon as possible. I need to get back to my own time very soon. I have a feeling that the stone he mentioned last night may be the key to this puzzle."

Seto nodded, closing the lid to his computer and getting to his feet. "Looks like we won't be going to class today," he commented. "The sooner we can get you out of here, and the mutt back in his own house, the sooner I can start getting some work done."

OoooooooO

Joey frowned in concentration as he slid the spatula underneath the last pancake, and with grace many didn't think he had, he flipped the flapjack into the air and grinned as it landed with a perfect sizzle back on the frying pan.

"Oooh, that was a good one, Joey!" Mokuba exclaimed as he set his dish in the sink. He'd already eaten and Seto was ushering him to go and get dressed.

"You're going to be late for school," the older Kaiba warned, glancing at his watch. "Hurry up and don't forget to brush your teeth. I'll get the driver for you."

"Ok, big brother!" the raven haired pre-teen replied happily, taking off at a run for his room on the second floor.

"Shouldn't we be hurrying up too?" Joey questioned as he slid the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. "I mean, we're going to be just as late as he is if we don't leave soon."

Seto sighed, and shook his head as he turned back to his morning paper. "We're not going to school today, mutt."

The blonde raised an eyebrow, casting a wary glance at Seto. "Uh...you know, that warrants a detention fer me. You've got yer connections and all, but I ain't as lucky in my friends as you."

"Don't worry about it," Seto replied evenly, not even glancing up from what he was reading. "I already called in for both of us. And your father won't find out about this either."

Joey blinked. "Uh...thanks, man...I guess."

The brunette only grunted in reply, and both of them missed Seth's smirk from where he was sitting on the other side of the kitchen table.

Joey leaned against the counter as he waited for his pancake to finish cooking, watching Kaiba somewhat discreetly, his gaze drifting between his classmate and the Egyptian that was the cause of their current problem. A whisper in the back of his mind was telling him that the way he felt around the brunette was perfectly normal, and that destiny was the cause of it. He sighed softly in confusion, and blinked in surprise as Kaiba seemed to notice. Seto glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, silently asking what the matter was. Joey shook his head shortly, and then cursed as the scent of burn pancake caught his nose. With another rather vulgar swear, he removed it from the pan and frowned at it. Kaiba snickered and got to his feet, moving to peer over Joey's shoulder at the burnt cake, just barely brushing against the blonde's body.

A shiver shot up Joey's spine and he gulped nervously, only regaining his senses when Kaiba's taunting voice broke through his muddled thoughts. "I see you've managed to burn your breakfast, mutt," he murmured, reaching around the blonde to turn off the stove.

Joey shook his head to regain his thoughts, and stepped away from Kaiba with a glare in the brunette's direction. "Only 'cause you were distracting me!" he insisted.

Seto raised an eyebrow. "I fail to see how I could have been distracting you."

In the moment that Joey hesitated, Seth's smirk turned knowing and grew about ten sizes.

The blonde's reaction finally was decided as a blush, his cheeks igniting in an angry shade of red as his hands curled into fists at his side. "I...have something to confess," he admitted, his voice somewhat bitter and strained as he glanced back and forth between the priest and Kaiba. "I had another dream last night."

Seth nodded, while Seto just waited for Joey to continue. The blonde sighed again and crossed his arms over his chest. "This is gonna sound corny, but my Egyptian self was there. An' he told me how we gotta...uh, work together, I guess, to get him," he paused to nod in the priest's direction, "back to his own time and all."

The Egyptian nodded again, as if he had been expecting such. Kaiba, however, was frowning, and looked decidedly doubtful and suspicious.

"What do you mean by 'work together', mutt?"

Joey laughed nervously, one hand scratching the back of his head as he averted his eyes from Kaiba's blaming glare. "Uh...Jouno said that we have to...find love, or something corny and Hallmark-ish like that."

Seto bristled. "Tell me you're joking, puppy."

"Unfortunately, I'm not," Joey muttered. "All we gotta do is-"

The blonde's sentence was cut off, however, as his body suddenly went stiff before his eyes shifted to a gold-flecked chocolate colour. "My part of the bargain must be fulfilled, Joey," a voice that Kaiba was not used to murmured as those haunting eyes turned towards the priest.

Seth's eyes widened and he shot up from his seat, his breath catching in his throat. He stepped towards Joey's body and cupped the blonde's cheek, staring down into the familiar eyes. "Jouno?" he questioned, his voice unbelieving. "Can it be?!"

A soft smile captured Jouno's lips and he nodded. "It is I, master. I haven't much time, however. My strength will not sustain this connection for long."

"Speak then, my beloved. I am listening."

"The stone that Joey has will lead you to where I am being held captive in our time. The Pharaoh walks into a trap as we speak, so you must come back as quickly as you can," the slave insisted, sliding his arms around his lover's waist and resting his head against a strong shoulder. "I fear that our time will soon come, my love."

Seth nodded slowly, his fingers sliding under the hem of Joey's shirt, caressing the smooth skin of his slave's lower back. "I feel it too, Jouno. But we will be together at least, when it happens. I will come back to our time. I will be there with you."

The slave nodded, lifting his chin to meet Seth's dark blue eyes. "My strength wanes. I haven't much time."

"Be strong, my love," the brunette murmured, leaning down to brush his lips against Jouno's forehead. "You must believe in me."

"I do," the blonde murmured, offering his lips to the priest, who accepted them instantly.

Kaiba had been watching from the side, unwilling to turn away and give them the privacy they deserved. He couldn't help but feel that they looked like they fitted perfectly together, and he couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to have another blonde settled so comfortably in his arms. So he stood, entranced, as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. Only when they parted did he bristle with unexplainable jealousy as he realized that Jouno's strength had failed him in the middle of their embrace, and that Joey's mind had been fully restored.

Normally, Seto Kaiba would not have reacted. But when Seth's lips parted from his puppy's and curled into a smirk as their similar blue eyes locked...Kaiba couldn't help his reaction.

Ooo TBC ooO


	4. Chapter 4

Title: From the Past 4/?

Author: Telpei

Rating: PG-13

Pairing(s): Various combinations of Seto, Joey, Jouno, and Seth

Beta: Samurai Butterfly

Spoilers: Nope. This is an AU.

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Summary: Joey gets accidentally summons High Priest Seth back from the past. The Priest has to get back to his slave Jouno, but he can't get back to his own time until the past has been repeated...

OoooooooO

_He was being held captive – a prisoner of war. His cell was dank and dark, and he longed for the warm arms of his lover. "Come for me," he pleaded with the darkness. "Let the future be able to decipher the past..." _

_His stomach cursed its emptiness, and he curled in on himself, matted golden hair falling into dull amber eyes. Tears slipped down his cheeks, and he berated himself for his weakness. _

_Seth would come. He had to believe. _

OoooooooO

Joey stumbled backwards as he was wrenched from Seth's arms, still a little stunned as to what was going on. With wide eyes, he realized that the Egyptian had been _kissing_ him...and that Kaiba was now pulling back to deal a punch to the Egyptian that was bound to rival Joey's own assault on the priest.

With a startled cry, the blonde lunged at Kaiba, holding him back before he could pummel his former self. "Kaiba, get a grip!" he growled, one arm around the brunette's waist to hold him back. In vain, he tried to ignore both their provocative position against one another, and the way his body felt so _hot_ against the executive.

"Oh, so you're allowed to punch him and I'm not?!" the CEO growled, apparently too lost in his anger and jealousy to realize just how close Joey was.

"Why do you wanna punch him anyway?!" the blond demanded, shoving Kaiba back in a desperate attempt to put more space between them. He narrowed his eyes into a glare and crossed his arms over his chest accusingly. "Why would you care if he kissed me?"

Kaiba stood in stunned silence for a moment, trying to think through his actions. Why did it matter? He wasn't jealous. He hated the mutt...didn't he? He grunted noncommittally, shaking the thoughts from his mind and berating himself for getting distracted. He looked to Seth in an attempt to put the blame on his former self, but the priest cut him off and spoke first.

"Joey has a point, Seto Kaiba," the Egyptian put in oh-so helpfully. "Why would you care?"

"I don't!" Kaiba bit back, eyes narrowing into slits. He was angry, now, for letting himself get outwitted like this. He'd let his guard down and allowed the priest to lure him into an attack.

"I'm going to make sure that Mokuba is on his way to school," he offered tightly as a lame excuse before he turned and swept out of the kitchen, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides.

Behind him, Joey turned confused eyes onto Seth, who only dismissed the blonde's unspoken question with a wave of his hand. Joey sighed, glancing at the doorway from which Seto had left before he turned to his burnt breakfast. He stared at it for a moment before he scooped it onto his plate and reached for the imported maple syrup he'd found in the Kaiba fridge.

'No point in worryin' about him now,' he mused to himself, though he had half a mind to go and find Kaiba and ask him straight out what his reaction had been all about. He knew, though, that this would get him nowhere. Kaiba was stubborn, that much was certain. No, he wouldn't be getting a straight answer out of Kaiba. Hell, he'd be lucky if he ever got an answer at all...

OoooooooO

Around half an hour later, Seto found himself alone in the living room with Seth, waiting for Joey to finish in the shower. He was sitting on the couch beside his former self, and they were both staring at what appeared to be an innocent stone.

Kaiba reached out to pick it up, but Seth's hand gripping his wrist stopped him. "What is it now?" The CEO growled, turning an icy glare onto the priest.

"Jouno said that this stone was not for you. It is for me to use in my time...It will free my love from his captors."

Seto sighed. "Look, I just want to see what the writing says."

"You cannot touch it," Seth insisted, reaching out and picking up the stone, sliding it into the folds of his Egyptian robes. He'd given up on modern day clothing, but since he wasn't going out in public (at least, not if Seto could help it), then no harm should be done. "I will not risk anything that could change its magical wavelengths."

Seto stared. "Bullshit," he grumbled after a moment of shocked silence, wrenching away from Seth's grip on his wrist and slumping back into the couch. "This is all a bunch of bullshit."

Glowering, he fell silent, his brow furrowed in thought. What had happened over the course of the last dozen hours had him confused...and Seto Kaiba did not deal well with confusion. There were several questions plaguing his mind...and all of them had to do with one blonde puppy. Frustratedly, Seto listed them off in his head:

1. Why was he being so stubborn about keeping Joey here? Seth didn't seem to need the blond anymore...

2. Why had he bothered to clear Joey's name as per his absence in school today? And why the hell had he thought to threaten the secretary not to inform the mutt's father?

3. What had Joey been implying when he'd said that they had to 'find love', whatever that meant?

4. What had he seen in Joey's eyes the previous night and that morning? He knew there had been something there...something that hadn't been anger or hate.

5. And most importantly: What had he felt when he'd seen Seth kissing Wheeler? Why had he detected a hint of challenge in his counterpart's eyes? And why the hell had he wanted to resort to physical violence?

Kaiba didn't have the answer to any of these questions just yet. In fact, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But he was positive that he needed to get Seth out of this time. The Priest kept smirking in his direction, licking his lips...and Seto knew that he was being mocked. It irked him (though he had no idea why) that Seth had kissed Joey and he had not. He was snapped out of his thoughts, however, when the Egyptian spoke, his smooth baritone jerking the CEO back to the present.

"You're thinking things over entirely too much," the dark-skinned priest said bluntly, eyeing his hikari critically. "Love is not about coherent thought, Seto Kaiba. Love is about impulse and emotion...something I do not think you are comfortable with."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "I love Mokuba," he replied tersely. "With all of my heart. I would give anything for him. Anything"

Seth paused for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, I was partly mistaken. You do know how to love your brother. What you do not know is how to love Joey."

Seto glared, sparks practically flying between the priest and his reincarnation. "Why would I want to know how to love that mongrel? Joey Wheeler is the last person that I would want to-"

His sentence was cut off, however, as he found Seth straddling his hips. He retaliated instantly, jerking his entire body in an attempt to dislodge the priest, but the millennium rod flashed and he felt himself unable to move.

"How dare you insult the reincarnation of my lover," Seth hissed, wrapping his fingers tightly around Seto's throat. The CEO struggled for breath, but under the control of the rod he was helpless. "Joey feels for you, I know he does," Seth murmured dangerously, "and if you hurt him in any way, I swear that I will punish you properly."

Seto was choking now, his fingers twitching at his sides and his entire body trembling. He could do nothing but stare up at the priest, practically begging to be released with his eyes. He hated to stoop so low, hated how his former self could make him so helpless...

Seth held him for a moment longer, watching as Kaiba's face began to turn blue, before he released the executive from the hold of his rod and the grip around his neck. Seto gasped, drinking in air in huge gulps. He turned his eyes away from Seth, ashamed at how he could be so weak.

"On top of Joey's feelings...your cooperation is needed, Seto Kaiba. If I am to return to my own time and save Jouno, then you _must_ exert some effort." Seth said, his eyes distant and sad as his thoughts turned to his lover. "I will do anything in my power to keep him safe...and I must ask for you to do the same."

The priest waited for a moment, but Seto seemed intent on withholding any reply. With a sigh, Seth got to his feet and turned, glancing over his shoulder at the executive. "Jouno needs your help, Seto Kaiba, and Joey needs your love. Think about it," he urged, before he turned and left the room.

Kaiba sighed once the Egyptian had left, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to fight off a growing headache. A flash of white caught his eyes, and he reached down between the cushions of the couch, pulling out the seeing stone. He stared at it for a moment, knowing that he should just set it down. But his curiosity overtook him, and he brought it closer to his eyes, inspecting the writing on the white band closely.

The stone was suddenly hot as embers in his fingers, but he couldn't let go. A flash of light blinded him, and Seto cried out as his mind was wrenched from his body.

Ooo TBC ooO


End file.
